Rejected by voters and stymied in the House, lobbyists for payday lenders are now trying to get a Senate panel to approve legislation to keep the industry alive beyond June 30.

But now there's a sweetener: They're offering to set aside an estimated $1.5 million of their proceeds each year for community-based organizations that help the needy.

That still may not be enough to corral the votes they need to keep the doors open. Most Democrats and several Republicans already have announced their opposition to extending the life of a special law that allows lenders to charge what would be the equivalent of 400 percent interest on an annual basis.